What is Durga Puja?
Durga Puja, also called Sharodotsav, is the biggest festival of West Bengal, Tripura, Assam and Bangladesh, and of Bengali communities around the world. It celebrates Goddess Durga's victory over the demon Mahishasura and her yearly homecoming to her parents' house with her children Lakshmi, Saraswati, Ganesh and Kartik.
From Mahalaya to Bijoya
The countdown begins on Mahalaya, when many Bengalis wake before dawn to listen to Mahishasura Mardini on the radio. The main celebrations run from Shashthi to Bijoya Dashami. Saptami, Ashtami and Navami bring anjali in the morning, the Sandhi Puja at the meeting of Ashtami and Navami, and bhog shared by everyone at the pandal.
Pandals, dhaak and sindoor khela
Cities fill with pandals built around creative themes, and families spend the nights pandal hopping in new clothes. Dhaakis play the dhaak while devotees perform the dhunuchi naach. On Dashami, married women smear sindoor on the goddess and on each other in sindoor khela. After the immersion, people visit elders and exchange sweets to say "Shubho Bijoya".